Christmas Wishes
by Robin Gurl
Summary: It’s Christmas but not all is well at the Wayne Household. Golden Age Batman 40s to 50s Dick Grayson Robin. One Shot.


Title: Christmas Wishes

Author: Robin Gurl

Universe: 40s/50s Batman

Characters: Dick Grayson/Robin and Bruce Wayne/Batman

Warnings: Fluff, hurt/comfort, a sick child

Summary: It's Christmas but not all is well at the Wayne Household

Notes: I had this idea way back when (geez I feel old. xD) that when Dick came to live with Bruce maybe he wasn't in the best of health yet. Traveling in a circus, I feel as if health care would have been iffy. So I came up with the idea that Dick got ill easily…xD I've never written on this idea before, so if people like it maybe I can make an AU universe out of it.

Disclaimer: Idea © me. Characters © Bob Kane

Written for Bradygirl_12's Winter Challenge

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The giant grandfather clock in Wayne Manor struck midnight, Christmas Day had come and gone with no laughing or shrieks of happiness coming from the boy the house plus its occupants had adopted less than a year before. The Christmas Tree had been decorated after Bruce had searched through all the nooks and crannies of the manor at the boys never ending pleas. Unable to say no, Bruce had found the box of ornaments and helped his young ward decorate the tall pine tree. It now glittered in the moonlight that was drifting in from big windows surrounding the room. It was covered in strings of garland, shiny tinsel and hand crafted ornaments as well as the expensive ones. Underneath it were all of the boy's unopened presents. A fire truck, a stuffed circus elephant, a few pairs of socks, a new robe, some pajamas, everything a young lad of Dick Grayson's age could want. All of it untouched because of the sudden fever that had taken over the small body and won the fight almost immediately.

Up the winding stairs and into the first bedroom on the left sat Bruce Wayne dressed as Batman sitting in a chair hunched over near the edge of the bed. He sighed and reached up to pull down his cowl becoming the wealthy millionaire once again. The black material rested in his still gloved hands, a grim look on his worn features. He had gone out on patrol tonight only because he had to get out some of his pent up frustration. After beating some thugs up for petty crimes, The Batman had nothing else to do. He had no more excuses to not go back home. The image of Gotham City covered in a grayish white snow with snow still falling in a dead silence haunted his thoughts, it was as if the city knew something was wrong.

His boy was lying on his back in the satin sheets and down comforter. He didn't like to think of how pale Dick was right now or how you had to look closely to make sure he was still breathing. Bruce kept waiting for his young ward to pop up and make some god awful joke then demand food or some other remedy. He had been waiting for this for almost a week.

He reached forward and took the small hand into his own, letting out a small gulp when he noticed how his black gloves engulfed the tiny hand. "Dickie, I'm here. You didn't miss anything tonight, not much crime was going on." Even though he'd trained Dick to be a crime fighter and that Dick had been trained as an acrobat, his body was still frail. It drove Bruce insane when these fits happened, he nor the doctors understood why they even occurred.

Modern medicine was moving forward, Bruce reminded himself. It just can't fix miracles yet.

Dick's face clenched with pain briefly and a bead of sweat ran down the feverish cheeks. "Let it run it's path, youngster." Bruce comforted softly, letting his voice drop down to the tone he usually used when he was around Dick. "I'm here, I'm not leaving."

He sat there for another half hour before feeling helpless once more. Was there no medicine to cure this sickness? He hovered over the tiny body, nestling the unmoved covers once again around the small body. He bent down briefly and placed a kiss on the pale forehead, whispering "I love you" before standing and heading back down the stairs.

In a flash of frustration Bruce ripped his cape off and threw it into the fire. He felt the heat rise as the fire ate the new fuel instantly. Bright orange and red light bounced off the gray costume and off Bruce's face. His blue eyes glowed faintly as he leaned against the mantle trying to compose himself.

Every time he tried to think of something else, anything else, Dick kept popping in his thoughts. He finally sat down in front of the Christmas Tree and started to mess with Dick's unused presents. He ran his fingers across the bright red fire truck imagining he could hear the giggle and snicker from Dick as the boy played with the truck. He held the truck close trying to imagine the twinkling blue eyes that would accompany the laughter. The 9 year old would most likely find a place to leave it where Bruce would trip over it more than once.

Right now though, Bruce wouldn't care where Dick left his toys. Not wanting to break down, he put down the truck and instead picked up the robe. He had been surprised when he'd heard Dick had never worn a robe around the house to keep himself warm. So he'd chosen one, a blue one that matched the boys eyes. Bruce had made sure it was soft enough so if his young ward fell asleep while wearing it, he wouldn't be at all uncomfortable.

He'd imagined the feeling of getting a good morning hug while Dick wore the robe as well, it made him wish even more than Dick was ok and not ill in bed.

Then a thought came to his mind, what if his boy could feel Christmas? Would he wake up? Bruce dropped the presents on the ground before running back up the stairs, first grabbing his own robe then running back into Dick's room he undid the covers and gathered his feverish ward up in his arms.

He wasn't going to lie, it felt so good to feel Dick's heart beat against his own, it let him know that Dick was still alive. "Dickie, Christmas is here. Let me show you.." Bruce said to the unconscious figure as he walked down the winding stair case. "Can you feel the warm fire, I lit the fireplace for you earlier, I know how much you like it. It finally snowed too! It's covered the entire lawn, Dick. It needs you to go make a snowman out of it before it melts. I also turned on the Christmas lights for you, they twinkle like little stars, lad. Just like the ones we wish on every night," Bruce's voice broke and he placed an uneasy kiss into the dark hair as he stood in front of the lit Christmas tree. "Let's make a Christmas wish, lad."

Silently Bruce wished for his ward to be better and awaken, he knew deep down that this wasn't going to work. Yet, he'd tried everything else and so far Science wasn't doing what he wanted, he might as well put faith into a little magic.

As he was finishing his wish he felt a soft nuzzle from a warm cheek and felt the breath of a sigh. His heart sped up and he looked down praying it was Dick and he was awake. When he looked down two blue eyes, still feverish but bright as ever, were staring up at him. Dick hadn't been awake for an entire week if not more and now he was staring up at him. "B..Bruce?"

Unable to say anything right away Bruce just smiled and hugged his boy close to him, holding the lad as close as he would let him. He shed some tears unseen by Dick into the boy's shoulder. "Merry Christmas, Dick."


End file.
